Thermoplastic elastomer composition, foam particle, and foam molded body

Abstract

The thermoplastic elastomer composition contains a thermoplastic elastomer and a pigment.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for producing expanded particles of resin particles, the method comprising:
 melt-kneading a thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising 100 parts by mass of a thermoplastic elastomer and 0.05 to 3.0 parts by mass of a pigment,
 wherein the thermoplastic elastomer has a crystallinity and is selected from the group consisting of an amide-based elastomer, an olefin-based elastomer, an ester-based elastomer, and a urethane-based elastomer, 
 wherein the thermoplastic elastomer composition has a crystallization temperature that is 10° C. or more higher than a crystallization temperature of the thermoplastic elastomer; and 
   granulating the thermoplastic elastomer composition by extruding the thermoplastic elastomer composition from an extruder and cutting in water to obtain resin particles;   impregnating the resin particles with a blowing agent to obtain expandable particles; and   expanding the expandable particles to obtain expanded particles.   
     
     
         17 . The method for producing expanded particles according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the expanded particles are colored expanded particles,   wherein the colored expanded particles have darker and lighter color areas on a surface thereof, and   wherein the colored expanded particles satisfy the following Characteristic (1) when the surface of the colored expanded particles is measured with a color difference meter in accordance with JIS Z8722:2009:
   Characteristic (1):  X−Y≥ 0.5, 
 wherein X is a value of color difference at a darker color portion of the colored expanded particles, and 
 wherein Y is a value of color difference at a lighter color portion of the colored expanded particles. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method for producing expanded particles according to  claim 16 , wherein the expanded particles have a bulk density of 0.05 to 0.5 g/cm 3 . 
     
     
         19 . The method for producing expanded particles according to  claim 16 , wherein the expanded particles have a bulk density of 0.05 to 0.5 g/cm 3 , an open cell percentage of 10% or less, and an average particle diameter of 1 to 10 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The method for producing expanded particles according to  claim 16 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is an amide-based elastomer, and the thermoplastic elastomer composition has a melting point 20 to 30° C. higher than the crystallization temperature.